Posts by Steven L. Taylor

Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Angle and Katrina Relief

More audio from Angle’s past interviews.

Back to the Nevada Polls

The Nevada Senate race is, in many ways, a three-way in which none of the above could be a spoiler for Angle.

Flood Water Start to Recede in Pakistan

The floodwaters are starting to recede, although the disaster is far from over.

The Politics of Crowd Estimates

Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Honor” rally raises, yet again, the tiresome fight over crowd estimates and their political significance.

Nevada Poll: Bad News for Reid, Worse News for Angle

The numbers still show an exceptionally close Senate race in Nevada. They also show that a different GOP nominee would have meant a very different scenario.

The Chilean 33

Elation at discovering 33 miners still alive after over two weeks of looking for them is giving way to the reality that it will take roughly 4 months to get them out.

Again with the Saudi Arabia Comparisons…

Ok, Saudi Arabia has less freedom than the US. Why do some people think that should form the basis of an argument about appropriate behavior in the US?

Ireland’s Credit Takes a Hit

A combination of news and some lunchtime satire.

Repeal the 17th Amendment?

Why would returning to the system of allowing state legislatures to choose Senators improve representation?

Ron v. Rand

It would appear that the Pauls have different views on Park51.

Ron Paul on Park51

Representative Ron Paul does not mince words on the subject of the Park51 project.

Yes, Blaming one Group of Muslims for the Actions of Others is, by Definition, Scapegoating

Yes, when you blame one group of people for the actions of other, especially irrationally so, that qualifies as scapegoating.

The Problem with Andy McCarthy’s Thought Experiment

Some of our politicians and commentators are looking to odd places for guidance over the application of fundamental American values.

Rape Warrant for Wikileaks Founder Withdrawn

A quick flip-flop from Swedish authorities on a very serious charge.

The View from Tribeca

A small slice of what people at the epicenter of the Park51 controversy have to say.

Ok, So What is the Problem with Cordoba House?

If the response to Cordoba House isn’t basically being anti-Muslim, what is it?

US-Colombian Basing Deal Unconstitutional

Colombia’s Constitutional Court has struck down a US basing rights deal.

Polling on Cordoba House

Given public opinion on the proposed Islamic community center that is currently cominating the news, we would expect that opposition to the project would be strongest in Manhattan itself.

A Simple Question in re: Islam and US Politics

A major part of the problem with the seeming growing wave of anti-Muslim sentiment in some quarters of US politics is that it seems to equate Islam as “the enemy.” If that’s the case, then US foreign policy has some ‘splainin’ to do.

More Border Enforcement

Again, despite the rhetoric of some, the US does continue to enforce laws relevant to the border and, indeed, enforcement has been on the rise.

Cordoba House and the Power of Political Marketing

If it was called the “Burlington Coat Factory community center” would anyone care about Cordoba House?

Tea Party More Popular than Pelosi, but not the Democratic Party

Shockingly, the Tea Party as a generic movement is more popular than congressional leadership. Interestingly, the Democrats are still slightly more popular than the Tea Party and the Reps are in third.

Poll Show Border Residents Feel Safe

According to a new poll, 87% of border residents feel safe.

Understanding Hugo Chávez Requires More than a Few Grains of Salt

Remember when dealing with the utterances of Hugo Chávez that you should take them with a grain of salt (or twelve).

Hezbollah Supports Restoration of Jewish Synagogue in Beirut

Hezbollah can tolerate the restoration of a synagogue, but many Americans are apoplectic about a Muslim community center and mosque two blocks from where the WTC once stood.

Colombia has a New President

Colombia has sworn in a new president. And so begins the Santos era as the Uribe era heads for the history books.

An Implication of Removing Birthright Citizenship

Wherein only one of the various consequences of altering the current status of birthright citizenship is considered: more paperwork for us all.

Kagan Confirmed

Calderón and Legalization

While it is true, as Jacob Sullum puts it, On Drug Policy, Mexico’s President Has a Bigger Vocabulary Than Ours, it is also true as the headline at Gancho puts it he has Problems with the Legalization Debate (specifically in terms of popular opinion in Mexico).

Birtherism Lives

While it may be true that facts are stubborn things, a lot of American are stubborn in the face of them.

Sharron Angle: America is Violating the First Commandment (and No, I Didn’t Mean Amendment).

Sharron Angle has moved on from Second Amendment solutions to First Commandment ones…

Against the Electoral College III: Policy Implications

How does the Electoral College influence policy and campaigning?

A Tale of Two Cities: El Paso and Ciudad Juárez

Despite assertions that the violence in Mexico is spilling over the border, we find a rather stark comparison of two key border cities.